Gastrointestinal Mucormycosis of Neonate Masquerading as Necrotising Enterocolitis

Abstract

Mucormycosis is a rare opportunistic invasive fungal infection that seldom infects healthy persons. Mucormycosis can affect any organ in the body among which gastrointestinal mucormycosis is very rare. Antemortem or preoperative diagnosis of gastrointestinal mucormycosis is not possible until histopathological demonstration of the fungal elements is done. Treatment consists of surgical debridement with systemic antifungal therapy with amphotericin B. The high mortality rate associated with GIMN (Gastrointestinal Mucormycosis of Neonate) is not only due to delay in diagnosis, but also because of inadequate and inappropriate treatment. All the infants with bowel surgery done for perforating or inflammatory lesions should be subjected to careful histopathological examination, else atypical causes for bowel perforations like GIM might be missed. Herewith presenting a rare case of gastrointestinal mucormycosis that occurred in a full-term, 5-day-old immunocompetent neonate.